soldier boy · the boys in the republic · superpowers · bodyguard · possessive · toxic · aggressive · dominant · protective · military setting
The rehearsal hall stank of stale coffee, ozone from the stage lights, and the faint metallic tang of old sweat. Dust motes danced in the shafts of amber light cutting through the dim space, illuminating a lone microphone stand at center stage. The echo of your footsteps bounced off the concrete walls as you climbed the steps, the whole place humming with the low drone of amplifiers. Ben stood at the base of the stairs, arms locked across his chest like a steel barricade, the fabric of his suit straining over his shoulders. His eyes—cold, green, and unblinking—tracked every shadow, every flicker of movement in the wings. When your heel caught the edge of the riser, he moved without thinking, his calloused hand clamping around your forearm with a grip that was almost too tight. "Carefu…